***WINNER UPDATE*** And the two lucky winners are #151 Ranna18s and #364 Jessi. We will follow up via email shortly to get your address for shipping. Congrats and enjoy! —————————————- Original Post: July 31, 2011 I had you at skinny didn’t I? Ever since I have had my girls, my body just hasn’t been the… Read more »

Sleep training is going horribly. I’m not even asking for that much, for crying out loud. (Heh. “Crying out loud!” Get it?) I don’t expect William to sleep through the night, even though some 4 1/2 month old babies do. I just want him to soothe himself to sleep after his bedtime routine. That’s it…. Read more »

While the overall rate of maternal stroke is low, researchers for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have noticed a dramatic rise in stroke rates for both expectant mothers and woman who have recently given birth. Between 1997 and 2005, the rate of stroke hospitalizations for pregnant women rose 47 percent. During that time the… Read more »

Katie Kimball, mother of two-going-on-three and owner of cooking blog Kitchen Stewardship, shares a few questions you should have in your back pocket for your next trip to the farmer’s market. —————— What do you mean you don’t have a farmer? For me, knowing the person who grows my food – as opposed to a… Read more »

My methods of introducing my toddler, May, to my new son, Ieuan, are a bit unorthodox to say the least. May’s disabilities make it both difficult for her to move and to see. (This isn’t a pity-party post. We are very happy, thank you very much.) Since Ieuan has been born, the question I am… Read more »

Britney Spears best watch her back! Niece Maddie Briann, daughter of Jamie Lynn Spears and Casey Aldridge, is trying to usurp her pop-star powers. Check out a video of the toddler singing to Aunt Britney’s Up N Down below. Last we heard Jamie Lynn Spears, now 20-years-old, and Casey Aldridge had parted ways. Wikipedia reports,… Read more »

You can’t argue with this: everyone needs to eat. Some ways save money on food are couponing, budgeting and meal planning, but still finding ways to bring down your family’s food budget can be an ongoing challenge. On the Cooking for Your Family Group mrsmonas poses the question, wondering what others spend on groceries each… Read more »

What do you think is the best month to have a baby? Really the very best month to have a baby is the month your own little one arrives, right? But in a perfect world maybe there are some months that are better than others. I’ll admit my August baby wasn’t ideal, because it meant… Read more »

Do any of you watch The Next Food Network Star? I do, religiously. And last week one of the contestants (Mary Beth) made a Roasted Strawberry Cupcake with a Red Wine-Balsamic Buttercream. The judges loved it…and so did I. I tweeted her immediately and asked her to post the recipe but…ahem…she hasn’t gotten around to… Read more »

Everybody knows that little kids lack the self-control of older people. In part, it’s a developmental thing. Between the ages of 3-7 years, most kids experience big changes in their ability to regulate themselves—to pay attention, to follow directions, and resist their impulses. But some people wonder if we can help kids develop these skills…. Read more »

I was at the playground the other day. My kids were with me, it wasn’t weird. Actually, it was a bit weird because some of the moms were wearing bikinis (there is a splash area for the kids, but seriously, who wears a bikini to a playground?) and that made the awkward chasm of park… Read more »

Everyone knows that the most comfy maternity clothes are soft and stretchy. But we can’t always lounge around in sweats and leggings. For those occasions when we are required to step it up a bit, there are these beauties. Linen shirt, $65 Goldfish tee, $26 Plus-size party dress, $30 The Erika maxi-dress, $120 The Abby… Read more »

We all know it’s important for kids to love reading, but what about writing? As a writer and a mom, I believe that teaching kids to express themselves honestly and joyfully through the written word is one of the best gifts we can give them. I started my first journal when I was seven years… Read more »

I’m old enough to be a grandmother. This really freaks me out. My kids are a little too young to start breeding but technically, I have entered into the grandmother age bracket. I know, I know–I don’t look a day over 34. But seriously, I could be. Grandmothers who are barely in their 30’s are… Read more »

On a walk through Africa’s second-largest slum, I met five amazing young women who are beating the odds and working toward their dreams thanks to the nonprofit Carolina for Kibera. Scroll down to see photos of these young women who are beautiful inside and out. Kibera stretches for a mile across the heart of Nairobi,… Read more »

Hot Topic

Royal baby fever is back! With less than a month to go until Kate’s due date – rumor has it that April 25 is the big day – everyone’s talking about the royal baby on the way. Who will be in the delivery room? What names are at the top of Kate and William’s list?… Read more »